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Is Google the only innovative company in town? Definitely no. Microsoft always tried to compete with Google and now the company of Bill gates is releasing a new video which predicts how technologies would look like in 2019.

The video may be confusing at first. Very few of the technologies shown would be recognizable as technologies created by Microsoft. An electronic newspaper (much like The Daily Prophet from the Harry Potter series), bendable, unbreakable, transparent displays, an XWand, real-time language translation, remote collaboration with transparent walls linking classrooms around the world - all amazing stuff. You'll have to watch the video to get the full effect.

Go to ReadWriteWeb for more information.

At end of February Microsoft decided to invest $1.5 million in " The Games for Learning Institute, a joint venture with New York University and other colleges.

The goal of the research is to see whether video games — and not just software specifically designed to be educational — can draw students into math, science and technology-based programs. The institute has begun lining up middle school students to study. groups that monitor gaming...

The Kept-Up Academic Librarian captured the rest.

As part of an initiative to help users find a better jobs, Microsoft has launched a new website called Elevate America. The website provides " free and low cost resources that provide the skills, training and certifications needed for people of all ages who are preparing for job opportunities in today's changing economy." The Daily Bits blog has more.

Earlier Microsoft revealed a new voice recording/search program called Microsoft Recite, which helps users of Windows Mobile devices find short voice clips with their voice. Take a look at the video, to see how it works. ReadWriteWeb will bring more details.

Microsoft tries to win the battle with Google by aggressively offering new products and services. For now the company of Bill Gates is far away from taking over Google, but innovative ideas is what Microsoft needs the most to challenge the rivals.

In November Microsoft began a number of new initiatives. In the beginning, the opening of the first online Microsoft Store was announced. Although the store doesn’t offer top prices, one of the advantages is the fact that you don’t have to keep
(remember) your product key anymore, because it is automatically stored with every purchase. ReadWrireWeb further investigated the story.

Later Microsoft started Live Photos, a new photo sharing service, where customers can upload up to 500 free pictures per month and share them with friends and relatives. Live Photos works automatically with Microsoft's Live Photo Gallery, permitting users to edit, tag and arrange the images. More details are available from ReadWriteWeb.

Around the same time Microsoft declared it's intentions to become part of the social web. Here is how the Daily Bits blog described the upcoming changes:

Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail and other Live services will include features that make it possible for users to maintain and share notifications across their network of online contacts. What is more interesting is that the services will support notifications from third party web applications too ( e.g. Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, iLike, Yelp, Wordpress Blogs among others).

Microsoft's last initiative - the creation of new free security software is without a doubt a popular idea.

Code-named “Morro,” this streamlined solution will be available in the second half of 2009 and will provide comprehensive protection from malware including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans.

Read Microsoft's press release for more details.

Microsoft obviously is not planning to sit and look how Google takes bigger and bigger share of the search engine search market.

With projects like Search Together, Live Mesh the company founded by Bill Gates is trying to compete and show that innovation is part of their dictionary and philosophy.

The latest innovative product released from Microsoft Research is the prototype U Rank, an experiment that allows customers to play with search results, comment and share them with friends.

To better support people as they are exploring a topic, comparing information, keeping track of what they're learning, and collaborating with others, U Rank has general support for organizing, annotating, remembering, and sharing search results.

Tech News Aggregator is the second innovative thought that Microsoft decided to bring to reality. The site called Microsoft Web gathers news (and RSS feeds) on the following subjects: home page, inspiration, methods, business, events, blogs, and products. WebProNews blog has the details.

Some blogs are buzzing lately about Live Mesh, the very latest product from Microsoft that promises to take care of all data transfers by syncing information between any number of Windows PCs, laptops and mobile phones.

To do that , you will have to install Live Mesh on each device and create Mesh folders with your files that can be updated and synchronized automatically.

"Update documents, post comments, or send instant messages, all right from the folder. The Live Mesh bar helps you connect instantly with other folder members."

Read Write Web blog has an inside look of how Mesh works and overview of the new product.

It is impossible not to follow the proposed acquisition of Yahoo by Microsoft. Mergers and acquisitions of major companies on the Internet doesn’t happen everyday.

The official Google Blog posts a response from David Drummond, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer at Google. " Microsoft's hostile bid for Yahoo ! raises troubling questions. Could Microsoft now attempt to exert the same sort of inappropriate and illegal influence over the Internet that it did with the PC?" The legal council of Google also points out that "Microsoft plus Yahoo “equals an overwhelming share of instant messaging and web email accounts" and their monopoly will limit "the ability of consumers to freely access competitors' email, IM, and web-based services"

In response Brad Smith, General Counsel at Microsoft said that the acquisition of Yahoo by Microsoft " will create a more competitive marketplace by establishing a compelling number two competitor for Internet search and online advertising. The alternative scenarios only lead to less competition on the Internet. Today, Google is the dominant search engine and advertising company on the Web. Google has amassed about 75 percent of paid search revenues worldwide and its share continues to grow"

It is true that Goggle dominates the search market and Microsoft and Yahoo combined could not even reach half of what Google makes. According to the Marketing Pilgrim blog Google's market share for the past few years "has grown (up 11%). Yahoo is down 7%, Ask is down 13% and MSN is down 33%." You can draw your own conclusions as to who, wants to acquire who, what and why.

Do you remember our post “ 10 New Technologies Of The Future”, where we highlighted what technology is going to dominate the upcoming.

Times Online has an interesting post about a patent filled by Microsoft to monitor workers productivity.

The computer system “links workers to their computers via wireless sensors that measure their metabolism. The system would allow managers to monitor employees’ performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature, movement, facial expression and blood pressure”. Frustration and stress among workers are also monitored by the system and assistance is provided, if help is needed.

Nobody wants to be controlled and monitored by machines, so I am happy that some civil liberties groups and organizations are against the patent already.

Via: TechCrunch
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/16/ok-now-this-is-a-little-scary-microsoft-biometrics/

The new product ( to be announced during Advertising Week Sept 25-29) will combine Microsoft's global advertising services into one offer for advertisers.

"Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions is designed to connect advertisers with their target audiences across such devices as PCs, Xbox® video game systems, Web-enabled mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs)."

All the new adds will be offered globally through major Microsoft products like MSN , Windows Live, Xbox Live, Office Online, Live Search, Windows Mobile and Microsoft TV.

It looks like Microsoft wants to advertise on all the possible gadgets that we carry today
and even take away some of the Google’s advertisers.

Source: Microsoft Press Pass
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/sep06/09-24AdWeekPR.mspx